Culture Wars dreams of PH Arena-sized following
After falling out of mainstream favor in the early 2010s, rock has been turning up the volume and recapturing lost ground.
Bands like Ghost and Sleep Token are making waves in streaming and have recently debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart. Icons like Metallica and Linkin Park are being rediscovered by younger listeners. And according to Luminate’s 2025 midyear report—a trusted source in entertainment data analytics—rock is now one of the fastest-growing genres in the US, with 123.3 billion streams in the first half of the year. It trails only hip-hop and R&B, which have defined pop music for the past decade or so.
For emerging groups steadily gaining traction, like the alternative rock band Culture Wars, the development can only bode well for the future. “Hopefully that continues,” frontman Alex Dugan tells Lifestyle Inquirer.
But while the recent resurgence of rock can be attributed to an ongoing “cultural movement,” a return to glory still depends on powers that be, he surmises. Their influence may be more fragmented these days but major labels, streaming platforms, and social media still wield significant power in amplifying—if not dictating—musical taste.
“They have to decide where they want to move the needle,” Dugan says. “In one sense, it’s up to them. In another, it could be a moment that goes uncapitalized.”
’90s-tinged alt-rock ballad
In any case, the only thing Culture Wars can control is its own work. So regardless of which direction the industry swings, the band will continue to march to the beat of its own drums. After all, that’s one of the tenets of rock—doing things your way regardless of what other people think, even if no one’s listening.
“We’re just going to make the music we want to make and want to hear, in the hopes of finding people who like what we like. And hopefully, there’s a Philippine Arena-sized crowd for that—two nights!” he says, laughing. “We’ll keep doing what we do, whether the industry moves with us or not.”
And with momentum on its side—following the success of its hits “Typical Ways” and “Heaven”—Culture Wars recently dropped a new single, “Lies.” Written in the aftermath of Dugan’s breakup with an unfaithful ex back in college, the song was originally composed on synthesizers and had a more electronic sound.
Years later, it emerges from the vault as an emotional, ’90s-tinged alt-rock ballad that showcases Dugan’s dynamic voice, which is equally adept at conveying heartbreak and despair.
“I was just really pissed off at my ex!” quips Dugan, recalling what was going through his mind while writing “Lies.” That was his last real breakup or heartbreak—“thankfully!” Now, he’s happily married and everything is calm. But his previous one? “I guess ‘turbulent’ is the word,” he says. “Everyone gets knocked around at one point in life. That was it for me.”
The single will be part of the forthcoming album, “If Not Now, When?”—a collection of songs that aim to stay true to the Austin, Texas-based group’s musical sensibilities: anthemic, organic, and brimming with energy. “We let ourselves play as we are, and record the instruments as they are,” he says.
Compromise and trust
The band can now afford to be more spontaneous with its music-making, having reached a point where they no longer get caught in, well, creative wars all that often.
Though they’re bound by a shared love for alt-rock, Dugan (vocalist), Josh Stirm (guitar), Caleb Contreras (guitar), Dillon Randolph (bass), and David Grayson (drums) all come from different backgrounds and have their own influences. Randolph is partial to punk rock; Contreras, to hip-hop and old school R&B.
There’s always excitement in variety but with it also comes the occasional creative tension. Their name says it all. “It’s like having four wives,” Dugan jokes.
It’s a balancing act of five different opinions and egos. It’s tricky and it’s challenging. But that’s kind of the point of being in a group. You’re not always going to like what the others like, and they’re not always going to give in to what you want. “Because if I always want it my way, then I’m better off doing this by myself—and I’d be worse for it,” he says.
But after years of playing together—through give and take and collective trust—the members finally built a chemistry that propels them forward and gives them something to fall back on. “No one’s disagreeing as much. We’ve been trying to find our own sound and be our own band. This is the first time we feel like we’ve got it,” Dugan says.
Filipino connection
Beyond recording, Culture Wars has also been making inroads in the touring scene, with Southeast Asia—the Philippines, especially—emerging as one of its fastest-growing markets. In October 2024, the quintet opened for Lany at the Philippine Arena, playing in one of its biggest venues yet. They returned three months later, this time to open for Maroon 5.
Filipino crowds are some of the best, Dugan says, and maybe only rivaled by Mexican fans. “In the Philippines, everyone comes ready to have fun and that elevates the show.”
Being part of the aforementioned groups’ shows was as instructive as it was fascinating. Music and dedication to the craft were a given but getting a peek behind the scenes of the business side of things was a welcome bonus for an independent band. Culture Wars made sure to take note of how things are done at the top level—how the concerts are streamlined, how crews operate, and even how merchandise is managed.
These learnings will serve the band well, Dugan says, as it carves out its own space in the industry. “We’re focused on our craft. I do hope our music does its own work. But it’s also about being smart about how you do things, so that we can give ourselves the time and chance,” he ends.
